ESA Science & Technology - Cosmic Vision
News
News
Liftoff for Solar Orbiter, ESA's mission to face the Sun up close
10 February 2020
ESA's Solar Orbiter mission lifted off on an Atlas V 411 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 05:03 CET on 10 February on its mission to study the Sun from new perspectives.
A perfect blur – First image by exoplanet watcher CHEOPS
7 February 2020
ESA's exoplanet-observer CHEOPS acquired the first image of its initial target star, following the successful telescope cover opening on 29 January 2020.
CHEOPS opens its eye to the sky
29 January 2020
Six weeks after the launch of CHEOPS, ESA's Characterising Exoplanet Satellite, the telescope cover was opened as part of the mission's in-orbit commissioning.
Switching on the CHEOPS instrument
10 January 2020
The science instrument on ESA's Characterising Exoplanet Satellite, CHEOPS, was successfully activated on 8 January, marking the beginning of the mission's in-orbit commissioning.
Arianespace and ESA announce the Euclid satellite's launch contract for dark energy exploration
7 January 2020
Arianespace and ESA today announced the signature of a launch services contract for the Euclid satellite – with the mission's timeframe for liftoff starting in mid-2022 from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
ESA's new mission to intercept a comet
19 June 2019'Comet Interceptor' has been selected as ESA's new fast-class mission in its Cosmic Vision Programme. Comprising three spacecraft, it will be the first to visit a truly pristine comet or other interstellar object that is only just starting its journey into the inner Solar System.
Arianespace and ESA announce Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer launch contract
17 June 2019The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, JUICE, will ride into space on an Ariane launch vehicle, Arianespace and ESA confirmed today at the International Paris Air Show.
Announcements
Announcements
Call for Membership of Topical Teams in the Voyage 2050 long-term plan in the ESA Science Programme
4 March 2019The next planning cycle in ESA's Science Programme, Voyage 2050, is now underway. Scientists interested in participating in the peer review process of the Voyage 2050 planning cycle are invited to respond to the Call for Membership of the Topical Teams. The deadline for receipt of applications has passed.
Call for White Papers in the Voyage 2050 long-term plan in the ESA Science Programme
4 March 2019The next planning cycle in ESA's Science Programme, Voyage 2050, is now underway. Ideas are solicited from the scientific community for the science themes that should be covered during the Voyage 2050 planning cycle, which covers the time period 2035-2050. The deadline for receipt of White Papers has passed.
Help shape ESA's space science programme
4 March 2019ESA's Science Directorate invited the public to share their views on the questions that Voyage 2050, ESA's space science programme for the 2035–2050 time frame, should address. The consultation period has passed and the survey is now closed.
Spacecraft Testing
Spacecraft Testing
#5: JUICE begins to take shape
23 October 2019
The assembly of the flight model of ESA's JUICE spacecraft began in September, with the delivery of the spacecraft's primary structure, followed by integration of the propulsion system that will enable the mission to reach and study Jupiter and its moons.
#1: Euclid completes thermal-vacuum balance tests
10 October 2019
This is the first entry in the Euclid Test Campaign Journal, a series of articles covering the main events during testing of the Structural and Thermal Model (STM) and Flight Model (FM) of the spacecraft.
#5: Electric and magnetic fields under control for Solar Orbiter
23 September 2019
An important stage in the development of ESA's Solar Orbiter mission was completed between May and June, when a series of tests to validate the electromagnetic compatibility and magnetic properties was carried out on the spacecraft's flight model.
#17: Practice makes perfect for CHEOPS inflight operations
25 June 2019It takes collaboration and teamwork to operate a spacecraft. As the CHEOPS launch approaches, a Europe-wide team is preparing to take control of inflight activities once the satellite is in space.
Latest Publications
Latest Publications
LISA Phase 0 CDF study - internal final presentation
5 May 2017The internal Phase 0 study of the Laser interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission has been performed at ESA's Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) and ran from 8 March to 5 May 2017. The internal final presentation, summarizing the outcome of the Phase 0 study, is now available for download.
European Space Agency
Science Programme
Technology Development Plan:
Programme of Work for 2019 and Related Procurement Plan
30 November 2018This document presents the activities in the Science Core Technology Programme (CTP) and in the Technology Development Element (TDE, replacing the TRP) of the Discovery, Preparation & Technology Development Basic Activities supporting the implementation of ESA's Science Programme. The national initiatives activities of relevance to the Science...
The ESA L3 Gravitational Wave Mission - Gravitational Observatory Advisory Team Final Report
4 May 2016This is the final report from the Gravitational Observatory Advisory Team (GOAT). Following the selection of the science theme "The Gravitational Universe" for the L3 mission, the GOAT was established to advise on the scientific and technological approaches for a gravitational wave observatory with a planned launch date in 2034.
JUICE definition study report (Red Book)
30 September 2014Reference: ESA/SRE(2014)1. This report, the so-called Red Book, provides a scientific, technical and management summary of the JUICE definition study that was performed from February 2012 to October 2014.
CHEOPS Definition Study Report (Red Book)
19 December 2013Reference: ESA/SRE(2013)7. This Definition Study Report (also known as the Red Book) presents the outcome of the CHEOPS Definition study. It describes the resulting mission concept that will fulfil the mission science requirements, and therefore allow us to achieve the science objectives presented in the original proposal, and further detailed...
EChO Assessment Study Report (Yellow Book)
16 December 2013Reference: ESA/SRE(2013)2. This is the Assessment Study Report (also known as the Yellow Book) for EChO - a candidate mission for the M3 launch opportunity in Cosmic Vision.
LOFT Assessment Study Report (Yellow Book)
16 December 2013Reference: ESA/SRE(2013)3. This is the Assessment Study Report (also known as the Yellow Book) for LOFT - a candidate mission for the M3 launch opportunity in Cosmic Vision.
MarcoPolo-R Assessment Study Report (Yellow Book)
16 December 2013Reference: ESA/SRE(2013)4. This is the Assessment Study Report (also known as the Yellow Book) for MarcoPolo-R - a candidate mission for the M3 launch opportunity in Cosmic Vision.
STE-QUEST Assessment Study Report (Yellow Book)
16 December 2013Reference: ESA/SRE(2013)6. This is the Assessment Study Report (also known as the Yellow Book) for STE-QUEST - a candidate mission for the M3 launch opportunity in Cosmic Vision.
EChO Preliminary Requirements Review Technical Report
18 December 2013Reference: ESA-ECHO-RP-0001, Issue 1. EChO, an Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory, is one of five candidate missions for the M3 launch opportunity. A Preliminary Requirements Review (PRR) of all candidate missions has been performed to review their status in support of the M3 selection. This document reports the results of the technical and...
LOFT Preliminary Requirements Review Technical and Programmatic Report
18 December 2013Reference: ESA-LOFT-RP-0006, Issue 1, Revision 3. LOFT, a Large Observatory for X-ray Timing, is one of five candidate missions for the M3 launch opportunity. A Preliminary Requirements Review (PRR) of all candidate missions has been performed to review their status in support of the M3 selection. This document reports the results of the...
MarcoPolo-R Preliminary Requirements Review Technical Report
18 December 2013Reference: ESA-MPR-REP-0003, Issue 1, Revision 2. MarcoPolo-R, a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) sample return mission, is one of five candidate missions for the M3 launch opportunity. A Preliminary Requirements Review (PRR) of all candidate missions has been performed to review their status in support of the M3 selection. This document reports the...
STE-QUEST Preliminary Requirements Review Technical Report
18 December 2013Reference: ESA-STEQ-RP-0001, Issue 1, Revision 1. STE-QUEST, a Space-Time Explorer and Quantum Equivalence Principle Space Test, is one of five candidate missions for the M3 launch opportunity. A Preliminary Requirements Review (PRR) of all candidate missions has been performed to review their status in support of the M3 selection. This document...
Report of the Senior Survey Committee on the selection on science themes for the L2 and L3 missions
28 November 2013A Senior Survey Committee was appointed by the Director of Science and Robotic Exploration to advise him on the definition of the science themes and questions to be addressed by the L2 and L3 missions, the next large missions in the Cosmic Vision programme. This report represents the synthesis of the committee's work and outlines their...
White Papers submitted in response to ESA's Call for Science Themes for the L2 and L3 Missions
5 July 2013This booklet is a compilation of the White Papers received from the scientific community in response to ESA's Call for Science Themes for the L2 and L3 Missions, issued in March 2013.
